Shock absorber



Aug. 1s, 1925. J. M. HALL SHOCK ABSORBER @who T Aug. m, 1925. 1,549,915'

J. M. HALL SHOCK ABSORBER Original Filed April 17, 1922 3 SheetS-Sheec l5 ion'. ansonnnn. i

.application filed April 1T?, 1922, Serial No. 554,229. .Renewed October 2a, 1924 To all @einem t may concern.'

-Be it known that l, Josera M. HALL, a eitizen of the United States, residing in Hamilton, in the county ot' lWentworth and Province ot Ontario, Bominion of Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shock Absorbers, ot which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a shock absorber which is more particularly designed for use on railway ears and the like, although the same may also be used lfor other purposes in which a cushioning` effect is required between two relatively movable parts, and more particularly to a shook absorber in which a plurality of sets of alternating or interealated plates are employed which slide 'rietionally lengthwise relatively to each. other and which are subjected to increasing lateral pressure during the buiiing' and pulling' actions ci the draft gear of the railway car and reduced lateral pressure during the relaxation of the draft gear.

lt is the object of this invention to provide simple, eompact and eileetive means for causingthe friction plates to be pressed tos gether laterally promptly and oil'er a greater frictional resisting' elieot to the load, and also to secure a more prompt and :tree release ot the trietional Contact between the several plates dui-inn; relaxation orn the draft gear and thereby obtain a better compression or closing' up `of the shock absorber and a more tree and prompt release of the same.

In the aeemupanying drawings:

Figure l is a. l'iorizontal longitudinal section showing this in'iproved shoe-k absorber organized lor use as a friction shook absorbing ,gear for railway cars, the parts being' represented in the position which they occupy when the ,gear is released. Figure Q. is a similar View showing the gear under a load and eompressedto its .maximum extent. Figures 3, l and 5 are fragmentary longitudinal seetions, taken on the correspondinglynumbered lines in Figs. l and 2, respectively.Figures 6 and v are vertical crossseetionsgtaken on the correspondingly numbered li "esin F ig. l. Figure 8 is a perspeetivefview oi' one oi the housings, cages 'or caps forming part ot the shook absorbing gear. Figure 9 is a similar View of one. of the friction plates thereof. Figure l() is a similar view of one of the wedge plates ot the same. F igure ll is a similar view of one of the spring seats ot' this gear.

Figure .l2 is a perspective View of one of the 4 wedges or wedge blocks forming part of this gear. .Figure- V13 is a similar view of one of the releasing' bars of the same.

f Similar characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

l0, l0 represent the longitudinal central sillso'l a ear trame, ll the front draft lugs or stops arranged on the front parts of the opposing sides of these sills, l2 the rear draft lugs or stops and 13 the transverse carrying` bar or iron yconnecting.the lower. sides ot these sills at a point between the iront and rear draft lugs thereof and adapted to support the shook absorbingr gear 0n its underside.

The shock absorbing gear containing my neeted therewith by means of a key 18, or

any other suitable means.

The shook absorbing gear which embodies my improvements and (3o-operates with the abm'e-inentioned parts ot the draft gear of the car, in its preferred `iorm is constructed as follows:

Arranged within the 'front and rear parts oi the slot termed within the yoke are front and rear housings, cages or caps which have their open lor concave sidesv facing each other, eaeh oi these. housings being prefer-v ably,rectangular 1n cross section, and the iront housing` beingy provided lon its` horizontally opposite `sides with two fiat longitudinal parallel friction Walls 19, 19and a front transverse follower 2O connecting the front ends ol.t these walls, and the rea-r hou's-vr ing;l being provided on horizontally opposite sides with two longitudinal parallel flat frietion walls 2l and a rear t. ansverse` follower ""2 connecting the rear ends of the side walls the walls and follower of each housing benigpre'irably formed integrally, as shown iu Figs. l and 2. a

li/ithin hairizontally opposite sides of the space of these housings are arranged two sets of intercalated friction plates 23 which are adapted to frictionally engage each other with a longitudinally sliding movement relatively to each other and thus serve as. a m s for absorbing or taking up part of the snoek, work or load, during bulfing and iulling strains when coupling or pushing the. car or when pulling the same. The plates of one set alternate with those of another set on the same side of the gear so that these plates overlap one another and engage their fia-t surfaces in a direction parallel and lengthwise of the Idirection of movement of the coupler and associated parts, the front ends of the front sets of both pairs of friction plates are adapted to be engaged by the follower and transverse front wall of the front housing, and the ear ends of the rear sets of both pairs of tion plates are adapted to be engaged by ear follower or transverse wall of the provided in its opposite longitudinal s near the outer end of the respective are with notches 24, 'thereby forming in- .vardlv facing shoulders 25 on these plates adjacent to the outer end thereof, while the f er part of each of these plates is correlingly reduced in width equal to the ne between the notches 24, as shown o i Figs. 3 and 9 l e inner side of the innermost friction es of both pairs are engaged adjacent to front follower 20 by means of two vfront plates or shoes 27 and adjacent to the 'fear follower 22 by a pair of rear wedge plates or shoes 28. Each of these wedge plates is provided on its inner side with an outwardly facing incline 29 and with an inwardly facing incline 30, the outwardly facing incline being arranged at a comparatively sharp or acute angle and the inner incline 30 being arranged at Ia comparatively abrupt or obtuse angle, as best shown in Fig. 2.

3i, 32 represent front and rear wedges or Yedge bioclrs which are adapted to engage their outer sides with the inner sides of the front and rear followers 20, 2L, respectively, and which are provided on their inner ends with the inwardly facing inclines 33 arranged at the same angle as the outer incline-s of the wedge plates andadaoted to engage the same. 34 isacompar silvery light 'releasing` spsig rfeferably of helical form,

arranged lengthwise in the center of the gear and engaging its opposite ends with opposing sides of the front and rear 'fis 3l,

. rear liousing. Each of these friction plates 35, 38 represent front and rear s ring seats or washers, the front spring eing provided on its outer side adjacent to its margin with outwardly facing inclines 36 which engage with and are arranged at the same angleas the inwardly facing inclincs 30 of the front wedge plates 2'?, while the rear spring seat 38 is provided with similar outwardly facing inclines 3G which engage with the inwardly facing inclines 30 of the rear wedge plates, as shown in Figs. l and 2 37 represents a comparatively heavy friction spring, preferably of helical form, surrounding the'releasing spring and bearing at its opposite ends against the opposing inner sides of the spring seats 35, 38.

39, 39 and 407 40 represent front and rear pairs of releasing bars, the members of the front pair being arranged transversely on opposite sides of the front wedge and havin'g their ends projecting in the notches 24 in the longitudinal edges of the front sets of friction plates and the members of the rear pair of releasing bars being arranged en opposite sides of the rear wedge and having their ends projecting into the notches 24 in the longitudinal edges of the rear sets of friction plates.

On opposite sides each wedge is provided with a pair of outwardly projecting shifting lugs or shoulders 42, 42, which are adapted to bear at times against the inner edge of the adjacent releasing bar. On its opposite longitudinal edges each of the wedge plates or shoes is provided. with outwardly facing inclines 4l each of which is adapted to cngage with an inwardly facing incline on the adjacent part of the inner edge of one of the releasing bars.

F or convenience in holding the elements of the shock absorbing mechanism in their proper relative position during transporta tion and for convenience in mounting the same in a draft gear of a car or removing the same therefrom, the front and rear housings are temporarily connected. by a tie bolt 43 which is adapted to extend through the releasing spring and 'through corresponding Vopenings in the followers 20, 22, which tie bolt when in use has its head and nuil seated in recesses in the outer sides of the followers, as best shown in 4.

The operation of this shock absorbing mechanism is as follows:

When the shock absorber is fully released, relaxed or open, as Ashown in Figs. l and 5, the front and rear housings bear with their followers against the front and rear stops and against the front arms 16 and rear cross head l5 of the yoke, the front and rear wedges are spread farthest apart by the releasing spring, the spring seats are pushed outwardly .to their extreme positions by 4the friction spring together with iii rees-wia the latter to their foremost position. During the outward nioveinent o't the front wedge plates their inclines el engage with the inclines ot' the trent releasing" bars and thereby not only assist in pushing the front sets of friction plates forwardly, but the action ot' these co-opeiating inclines also causes the front wedge plates to he drawn laterally inward and thus relieve the lateral outward pressure ot the saine ajainst the friction plates, whereby the rictional contact between these plates is reduced and the shock absorber is permitted to open or release more promptly. lVhen the shock ebsorbei' is tally expanded and the front tollower 2O has been nioved away troni the outer ends ot the front sets of friction plates and the rear sets ot friction plates have also been carried forwardly by trictional Contact with the front friction plates until the outer ends of the rear lrictien plates have been -moved away from the rear follower 22 and the shoulders 25 et the rear friction plates are again in engagement with the outer edge of the rear releasing bars 40.

rl/hen the shock absorber is subgected to a pulling load the action is reversed, that to say, the front Jfollower and wedge are stationary while the rear follower, wedge, wedge plates and piri'zs associated therewith move and 'function in the. saine mann as that previously described with reiteroA to the front wedge, wedge plates, sn-ingseat and releasing bar during a buing; and 'rcl asing operation.

It will be noted that in this construction the pressure et the friction spring is trans- -f niited indirectly through the wedge plates to the releasing ars and also indirectly troni the releasing' spring through the .vedpjes to the releasinpr bars t'or restoring,` the shock absorber to its open or released position.

in Y rlhe anguiar er menging; engagement between the wedge plates or shoes and the spring` seats intended primarily to cause the wedge plates to move laterally outward freely and press the friction plates rpiiclily together and against the side walls of the housing.: l'Vhen, however, releasing the shock absorber this wedginp,A engagement between the wedge plates and spring` seats operates negatively and would retard prompt release of the pressure of the wedge plates against the friction plates. rlliis tendency to hold. the wedge plates against the friction plates is however ollset by the force of the wedgingg engagement olf the wedge plates against the releasing bars so that when the wedge plates are moved outwardly by 'the triction spring, these plates will be withi'li'awii laterally inward from the innerniostatriction plates and thus counteract or negative the lateral outward pressure produced by the wedging engagement between the wedge plates and spring seats and thereby cause the shock absorber to release freely, promptly and eil-ectivelyE The advan ige in this shock absorber is that ine wedge plates or shoes slide laterally outward more easily and furnish a bet-ter compression when applying` 'the shock absorber and also a. more prompt and free release when relaftinej the load on the same, and the saine o provides a much greater shocl absorlnr capacity within the liinitsi'rt" space now avai ole and it accomplishes this purpose hy nir which act promptly both durii cios com iression or .application which will and the seif'e 'est usage and not give way under the hardest shocks, and which canv be produced economically and are not liable to get out of order.

l claim as invention:

l, A. shock absorber comprising" a plurality of sets ot friction plates which are intercalated and adapted to slide lengthwise relatively to one another, a housing having a side wall engaging with the outerniost ot said friction plates and a follower which is adi pled to engage with the outer ends ot the 'riction plates of one set, a wedge plate {rale/ing with the innermost of said and provided with an outincline, ay wedge having an e incline which engages said ,i incline et' the wedge plate, bar adapted to be moved inwardtion plates which are engaged. )wer and having" alwedging enwitli said wedge, and a oilierating on said wedge beicoinilirisingr a plurality' a plaies which are interred to slide lengthwise relaa housing h ring' a 'lh the outermost of i a :tollower which is Y, Y th the outer ends of of one set, a wedge plate the innermost of said fricli v rages said outwardi or il wedge plate, a rele v c ted l ,Y o be inoved inwardly oy s id l iction. plates which are engaged by said follower and having a wedging engagement w "li i redgrc platey a releasingrspringv engrnieing with gxw'eclge, a

i-ipringseat engagiiirY said. i'vedge plate, and a Ltriction spilA engaging; said spring seat.'

A shocli. absorber coniprisingl a plurality et sets ot it'riction plates which yare intercalated and a V'apted to slide lengthwise relatively o one another, a housing having a side wall engaging with the outeirinost of h. said wedge plate, a releasing.

intieme if?,

said friction platee'and a follower which is adapted to engage with the outer ends of the friction platesfof one set, a wedge plate engaging with the innermost of said' friction plates and provided with fanoutwardily facing incline, a releasing bar adapted to loe moved inwardly loy said friction platesv which are adapted to he engaged by said follower,y 'a wedge plate 'engaging with the innermost of Said 'frretion plates and having a wedging engagementwithsaid releasing bar, a wedge having a wedging engagement with Said wedge plate and provided with an outwardly facing shoulder adapted to engage said relasing har, a releasing spring engaging Said wedge, and a'frietion spring operating on said wedge pla-te.

. 4. `A Shook absorber eoinprising'a plurality of Sets of friction plates which are interealated and adapted to Slide lengthwise rela,n tivelytoone another, a 'housing having a sidewall `engaging with the outermost of said friction'plateeI and a follower which is adapted to engage with the outer ends of the friction plates of one set, a wedge plate en' gaging with theinner )et of said friction plates and provided with an outwardly faeing incline, a releasing bar adapted. to be moved inwardly by said friction platea which are ada'i'ited to be engaged by Said follower, a wedge plate engaging with the innermost of said friction platee and havring a` wedg'ing engagement with said releasingloar7 a wedge having wedging engagement with said wedge plate and provided with an outwardly facing shoulder adaptedto'engage said releasing bar, a spring Seat having a wedging engagement with said wedge plate, areleasing spring engaging with said-wedge, and a friction spring engaging with Said spring seat.

5. A shook' absorber oon'iprising a plurality of sets offrietion"` plates which are interealated and adapted to Slide lengthwise one upon another7 a housing having a aide wall engaging with the outermost of said frirt'ion plates and a follower adapted' to-engage the outer ends of one of'said of frietion plates :ii-i to be moved `inward longitudinally them-Sy, said last-mentioned ,Het oliplatee which are actuated by Said fol lower being provided with inwardly facing `Shouldersv a releasing ba'r having an outer edge adapted lo be engaged by Said Shoulders of the installentioned Set of friction plaire and provided with an inwardly facinnv Snr-line, a wedge plate engaging the n1- wrinost of said friction plates' and having l outwardly faring inclinan, one of which e with said inwardly facing inrline of :meaning bar and also pi-ovided with an inwardly facing incline, a Spring seat harl' an hutwardly facing incline which engage-.a Athe inwardly facing incline of y the "1v den plate. a wedge having an inwardly facing incline which 'engages 'the other one of the outivardly facing inehnes of said werjlge plate, a releasing spring engaging '-w'th said wedge.; and a friction Spring engaging with said Spring seat. Y tl. A shock absorber con'iprising a plu rality of sets of friction plates which are intercalated and adapted to slide lengthwise one upon another, a housing having a side wall engaging with the outermost of said friction plates' and a follower adapted to engage the outer ends of one of said Sets of friction plates and to he moved inwardly longitudinally therel'iy7 said laat-mentioned Set. of plates whirli are actuated by said fol lower being provided with inwardly facing shoulders7 a releaeing har haring an outer edge adapted to be engaged hy said shoulders of the lastnientioned set of friction platee and provided with an inwardly'facingl incline, a wedge plate engaging the in 'nerinost of said friction plates and having two outwardly iaeing inrlines one of which engages said inwardly'facing incline of the releasing bar and also provided with an inwardly facing incline, a Springseat having an outwardly farine' incline which engages the inwardly fac-ing incline of the wedge plate, a wedge having an inwardly facing inrline which engages the other one of the outwardly facing inclines of said wedge plate, and also provided with an outwardly faring shoulder adapted to engage said releasing har`r a releaeing` spring engaging with said wedge, and a vfriction spring engaging with said spring seat.

'i'. il shock absorber comprising a plurality of sets of friction plates whieh are interealated and adapted to slide lengthwise one upon another, a housing having al side wall engaging with the outermost of said friction plates and a follower adapted' to engage the outer ende4 of one of said Sets of f1 n, ,ion platen and to he nroved inwardly longitudinally thereby, said laet-nientioned set of plates: which are actuated hy Said follower heiney providi-al with inwardly facing shoulders, a releasing bar having an outer edge adapted to be engaged by Said nlioul dern of the lastiiiei1l'i iied net of frau' plates and provided with an inwardly fae-V ing r inclinen a wedge plate engaging the innermost of said frirtion plates and having two outwardly facing inclinea one of which engages said inwardly facing incline of the releas'iing har and also provided with an in-` wardly facing incline, a spring seat having an outwardly facing incline which engages the inwardly facing incline of the wedge plate` a wedge having au in uirdly facing incline which eng4 gee the other one of the outvoirdly facing inelines of :raid wedge platea and also provi-:led with. an outwardly farng shoulder adapted to engage Said releasing bar, a rcleasfiing spring engaging with said wedge, and a friction spring engaging with said spring seat, the co-operating inclines of the wedge and the wedge plate being arranged at an acute or sharp angle and the eo-imerating inclines of the wedge plate and thc spring plate being arranged ai. an obtuse or abrupt angle.

A shock absorber comprising a plurality sets of friction plates which are iii-- tercalated and adapted to slide lengthwise one upon another, a housing having a side Wall engaging with the outermost of said friction plates and a. follower adapted to elT- tlic outer ends of one of said sets of `lrictien and to be moved 'inward longitudinally thereby, said last-mentioned of plates which are actuated by said follower being provided with inwardly facing tslioulders, a releasing bar having an outer edge adapted to be engaged by said shoulders of the last-mentioned set of friction plates and provided with an inwardly facing` incline.y a wedge plate engaging the inneiiuost of said friction plates and having two outwardly facing inclines one of which engages said inwardly facing incline of the releasing bar and also provided with an .1nwardly facing inclina a spring seat having an outwardly facing incline which engages the inwardly f cing incline. of Athe wedge i having an inwardly facing 'reges the other one of the outwardly facing inclines of said wedge plate, and also provided with an outwardly facing shoulder adapted to engage said 'releasing bar, a releasing spring engaging 'with said wedge, and a friction spring enigaging with said spring seat, the cooperating inclines of the wedges and the wedge plate being at an acute angle and operating to press the wedge plate laterally outward upon inoviiig the wedge longitudinally inward, and the cooperating inclines of the wedge plate and spring seat operating toniove the wedge plate laterally outward upon moving the wedge lplate longitudinally inward. y

9. A shock absorber comprising a plurality of sets of friction plates which are intercalated and adapted to slide lengthwise one upon another, a housing having a side wall engaging with the outermost of said friction plates and a follower adapted to engage the outer ends of one of said .sets of friction plates, and to be moved inward longitudinally thereby, said last-mentioned set of plates which are actuated b v said follower being provided with inwardly facing shoulders, a releasing bar having an outer edge adapted to be engaged by said slioulders oi" tiie last-mentioned set of 'friction plates and provided with an inwardly facing incline, a wedge plate engaging the in nermost of said friction plates and havin two outwardly facing inclines one of wir' engages said inwardly facing incline of i releasing` bar and also provided. i itl` an wardly facing incline, a spring an outwardly facing incline wlii i en the inwardly facing incline of the plate, a wedge having an inwardly incline which engages the other one of outwardly facing inclines of said plate, and also provided with an. outwardly facing shoulder adapted to engage said releasing bar, a 1eleasing spring engaging with said wee; i, al a friction spi-ing ciiffl -gaging wifr` said spring seat, the eo-opcrating molines of the wedge andthe wet'L c plate being at an acute angle and operatiiig to press the wedge plate laterally outward upon "wr the Wedge longitudinally inward, ne' co-operating inclines of the wedge plate and spring seat operating te move the wedge plate laterally outward upon moving the wedge plate longitudinally inward, and the eo-opeiating inclines of the wedge plate and releasing bar operating to move the wedge plate laterally inward upon moving the wedge plate longitudinally outward.

l0. ln a friction shock absorbing int-chanisin, theveoinbinatioii with a longitudinally movable container, a follower, a plurality of relatively stationary plates within said container, a plurality of loiigitirfinau..felativcly movable friction plates interrelated with said relatively stationary friction plates and adapted to be moved forward by said follower, pressure-transmitting and lateral pressure-creating ineans cooperable with said intercalated plates, a spring resistance associated with said pressure-transmitting and lateral pressure-creating means, and 'a releasing bar associated with said pressuretransmitting and lateral pressure-creating means and said longitudinal relatively movable friction plates and adapted when moved longitudinally backward to engage the longitudinally movable plates and to be moved forward idly by engagement therewith of said longitudinally movable friction plates when the latter are actuated by said follower7 said releasing bar and said pressure-transmitting and lateral pressure-creating means being provided with (1o-operating wedging surfaces for reducing the pressure of said lateral pressure-creating means on said intecalated friction plates during the backward movement of said Container and 'l'olliiweii JOSEPH M. lli/ill...

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